The Basics of Effective MeetingsNewly Elected Officials Orientation
www.masc.sc
Arrive On Time
Put Away/Silence Cell Phone
Avoid Side Conversations
Body Language
At the end of the day, the body is the ultimate decider of all parliamentary decisions. The chair is the servant of the assembly, not its master.
All Members Are Equal
Written Agenda
• Now required under FOIA for all meetings• Provides a guide for issues to be discussed• Ensures transparency• 24 hour notice
• The Home Rule Act does not specify who has responsibility for making an agenda or what it must contain.
• Who decides what items are placed on agendas is a question often debated. Clear rules of procedure can avoid this debate.
Written Agenda
Rules of Order
• Robert’s Rules of Order • A quorum is a majority of
members of Council; any time a quorum (telephone, text, email, social media?, etc.) is present it’s a meeting
Maintain Civility
Public Engagement
Public Engagement
• Not mandated for all meetings• Council should decide rules for public
participation• Maintain order
Summerville Clock